Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Aug 8: Muneer Katipalla, convener of Anti Suratkal Tollgate Action Committee, recalled that Member of Parliament (MP), Nalin Kumar Kateel, had said a month back that the toll charges collection contract at the tollgate at Suratkal would end on July 30 and that under no circumstances he would allow toll collection there to continue. Muneer claimed that this promise has been shattered and illegally this contract has been extended. He claimed that the MP has seen to it that his own associates bag this contract.
Munir Katipalla accused Nalin of not using his power to stop toll collection at Suratkal, in spite of possessing that power. "Although a company working at national level has bagged contract for toll collection, the sub-contract has been given to people close to the MP. The MP is the saviour for all the illegal things going on at this gate. Because of unholy understanding between National Highways Authority of India, MP, and the tollgate contractor, Suratkal tollgate continues to function," he claimed.
Muneer recalled that two years back, toll collection had begun at Suratkal with the promise that the gate would be closed once the tollgate at Hejamady that is just ten kilometres away from Suratkal begins to function. "But although Hejamady gate started operating within six months, the Suratkal tollgate continued to be operational. After our committee fought against it, the state government had sent a proposal to the central government to close Suratkal tollgate at the end of the current contract period. Against all assurances by the department and MP, now the contract has been extended. This is a fraud played on the people," he said.
He pointed out towards rules governing tollgates like minimum distance of 40 km between two tollgates, no damages or potholes on toll roads, if any pits appear they should be closed within 48 hours etc, duly saying that all rules have been violated at Suratkal. He said that there is no service road between Suratkal and Nanthoor and that the highway is dotted with holes.
He said that National Highways Authority pays a sum of five to six crore rupees to the firm which undertakes highway repairs but claimed that this company is not even doing the work to the extent of one crore rupees. He wondered why everyone including the authority and MP are silent over this issue. He demanded immediate closure of the tollgate. He warned that an agitation for a day will be organized from 10 am onward near the tollgate on August 14 and the fight will be continued till this gate is closed, service road is created from Suratkal to Nanthoor, over-bridge at Nanthoor is built etc.
City corporators, Revathi Puthran, Dayanand Shetty, DYFI district president, B K Imthiaz and others were present.